“Microsoft is working on a big redesign for its Outlook for Mac and Windows apps,” Tom Warren writes for The Verge. “The software giant revealed teasers for the new design during an Ignite conference session last month, and the goal is to simplify the user interface on both Mac and Windows versions.”

“Spotted by MSPoweruser, a lot of the changes look very similar to the Outlook for iOS app, with a single-line ribbon and a smaller set of default commands,” Warren writes. “A new customizable ribbon will let Outlook for Mac and Windows users control which buttons are available, so you can tailor the email interface to your own common tasks. The left navigation panel will include quicker access to folders across multiple accounts, and looks like the switcher in Outlook for iOS.”

“Microsoft is also focusing a lot of the design changes on Outlook for Mac. The software maker admits ‘MacBooks are popular amongst key influencers and decision makers,’ and that the company ‘needs to win these users by delivering the best Outlook has to offer,'” Warren writes. “While it’s not clear exactly when this design will be made available, Microsoft is already testing internal versions for both Mac and Windows.”

MacDailyNews Take: Apple has come a long, long, long way from having to basically beg Microsoft to excrete out hobbled Office ports for Mac in order for the platform to remain viable in the eyes of “key influencers and decision makers.”